DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER
Thanks to one of nature’s hardest substances, the commercial flooring industry has a strong new contender in the durability and performance stakes for luxury vinyl tile (LVT)
flooring. Here, Armstrong Commercial Flooring presents its Diamond10 Technology which aims to provide the ultimate scratch, stain and scuff-resistant LVT.
THE FACTS When you think of a diamond, what comes to mind? Most of us remember the “Four C’s”– cut, color, clarity and carat weight. That’s about it. Now, thanks to a breakthrough in durability and performance, it might be time to add an “A” into the mix.
Armstrong Natural Creations Luxury Flooring with Diamond10 Technology features a finish made with cultured diamonds. By harnessing the strength of one of nature’s hardest substances, Armstrong engineers and designers have brought unmatched durability and performance to the brand’s commercial line of LVT.
However, Diamond10 Technology is not just a coating. The foundation layer is where the durability begins. Then, the high-fidelity print layer is protected by the only rigid wear layer used in the market for luxury flooring applications, and provides unparalleled protection to the design.
The technology doesn’t just protect the floor from scratches, it actively repels dirt and stain-causing agents without needing to be polished. This translates to lower maintenance costs and a reduced use of chemical polishes and cleansers; a bonus for facility and maintenance managers in high-traffic commercial buildings.
Natural Creations with Diamond10 Technology also withstands rolling-load traffic, and offers energy-conserving, light-reflective colors. The luxury flooring is free of orthophthalates, heavy metals, and fly ash, and is FloorScore certified with low VOC emissions. While it’s an impressive product, how the technology came to fruition is almost as unique as the technology itself.
WHERE IT BEGINS The story of Diamond10 Technology starts where many of Armstrong Flooring’s best stories do, on the floor of the lab with
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Throughout this decade-long process, the singular goal was always to create a product with cutting edge design, industry-leading durability and differentiated value. Ideally, the attributes would be demonstrably superior so that the designs would be useful across all market sectors (healthcare, education, retail, office, etc.), and the durability would allow the product to be used in more applications, satisfying the need for the designs to look newer for longer.
Similarly, the value could be defended against all appropriate budgets in new and renovated construction projects, as a product that is more durable would therefore reduce the cost of ownership. This ultimately means that Armstrong luxury flooring with Diamond10 Technology is less likely to be replaced due to wear and is significantly easier to maintain, leading to satisfied facility managers, interior designers, contractors and installers.
SUSTAINABLE,
RECYCLABLE, DURABLE Tom Ellis, Vice President of Corporate Marketing and Communications at Armstrong Flooring, said: “The outcome of the project is a truly differentiated product that is designed and built from the ground up. It meets, and often exceeds, customer expectations in design, durability and value.”
the research team. Two years of domestic and international interviews, three years of market and technology evaluations, four years of plant construction, and countless hours of work with maintenance chemistry manufacturers, compatibility specialists and internal designers preceded the product launch.
The intrinsic sustainability features of Natural Creations with Diamond10 Technology also help to exceed expectations. The entire product is 100% recyclable and the recycled content is distributed into the core foundation layer.
The coating has hydrophobic properties that repel almost any liquid and contaminant. Permanent marker and iodine can be easily removed with common cleaners, and the technology, with infused cultured diamonds, withstands scratching-
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